Has anyone had experiences good or bad with speaker isolation or isolation in general ?

kennythekey
The wall is a bearing wall that sits on the foundation wall, so it’s not wiggly! The rack can only rock forwards and backwards, so much more stable side-to-side. If I stomp/jump in front of it, I can get the stylus to skip. Otherwise, not a problem, so it’s a safety issue.

As fate would have it it’s not only floors that are the problem but also walls and ceilings, they all transmit seismic type vibrations. Unsuspended floors might be more problematic, what with trampoline effect and greater susceptibility to seismic type vibrations, including footfall and mechanical feedback, but even cement slabs and bearing walls on rigid foundations are moving, just not with the same amplitude usually. In areas like Las Vegas where there is rather strong Earth motion you can feel the vibration on the walls with the palm of your hand. Most places you can’t feel it with your hand but it’s there, especially the very low frequency stuff, the stuff below 10 Hertz. That’s because the entire building is being moved and shaken by the Earth’s crust motion and anything else around like wind or traffic or subways. And it’s being shaken and moved in 6 different directions due to the way physical seismic waves travel along the surface of the Earth. Thus, the house is moving up and down, to and fro, back no forth as well as twisted, etc. Most of the energy of the Earth crust motion is down around 0 to 3 Hz, but there is still a lot up to 20 Hz and above. This of course means that in order to escape at least some of the seismic type vibration one needs to decouple from the physical surroundings entirely, including walls. Furthermore the effects of seismic type vibration don’t necessarily manifest themselves overtly, e.g., needle jumping from the groove, it can be more subtle and insidious. You don’t know what you got til it’s gone, like the song says.

hi geoff
your posts make for very in interesting reading, you very clearly understand isolation from all angles,
I had great improvements when placing my speakers on the seismic podiums, which as you pointed out are a product using springs,
The feet on my speakers are just thin plain discs,
Do you think or could you tell me by replacing these standard feet with larger Clearlight Audio RDC isolation cones size 1.2, would i be in for another level of sound improvements,
I use Seismic Isolation Podiums under my speakers and Seismic Isolation platforms with the rdc cones under all my electronics and mains block.
I am now experimenting with Shun Mook Mpingo Discs in various places, which i am enjoying and hearing different effects, thanks for making me aware of these,
When i remove the mpingo discs i can say with certainty i prefer the sound with them included in the system,
Its quite difficult to explain the improvements they bring, if pushed i would say realism across the board ie bass is better, instruments are clearly defined and vocals gain a human like texture, im not saying the sytem is lacking without the mpingo discs, but definitely improves with them,
I have also tried Final Duramas a bearing type isolation on top of the seismic isolation platforms, which brings tighter bass with more detailed mid and top end,
Over all i am having a great time trying different isolation types but im learning mixing springs with cones or bearings is bringing gains over just using either one, 
But no matter what i use springs with cones or springs with bearings the mpingo discs adds more flavor either way,
I am giving it all a good go, its finding the best places for the mpingo discs which is bringing the most fun, at the moment i have one on the main plug at my wall socket  that feeds my mains block, the other is facing down on my rcas that are coming out my cdp, badge towards equipment dot facing down at 6 oclock,
i have ordered more mpingo discs as they bring a nice flavor to my system, i am hoping to leave the 2 placed where i have already got them, and place the new 2 on my speaker terminals the same as positioned on my rcas,
I would like to place the mpingos on my equipment and speakers, and use the magic crystal products you sell on my speaker terminals and all other equipment connection points i can then find new homes for the 2 spare discs
the vibrations running threw the system are clearly not a good thing, i believe everything that can vibrate demands attention if one clearly wants the very best sound quality from ones system,
Would you kindly suggest a product that i could place on all my connection points ie cdp to pre, pre to power, power amp terminals to speakers i like the idea of laying them little crystal packs you sell i look forward to your reply kind regards john 
 

Geoffkait
This of course means that in order to escape at least some of the seismic type vibration one needs to decouple from the physical surroundings entirely, including walls. Furthermore the effects of seismic type vibration don’t necessarily manifest themselves overtly, e.g., needle jumping from the groove, it can be more subtle and insidious. You don’t know what you got til it’s gone, like the song says.

I wonder if if the recording studios account for seismic activity!?

I'm going to stabilize my rack and isolate my gear.
Kenny

It can be more subtle and insidious 

very true. I knew I had s seismic problem as I can feel the house shake with traffic but installing a solution that gets rid of it completely (at least for my turntable now it is on an active platform) was transformative. Everything is rock solid stable now and all sorts of subtle timing cues that were masked before are now evident. I've also seen the same effect installing roller based feet below my amps, oddly it made the amps sound less loud, presumably the effect of removing noise and harshness that is perceived as unacceptable loudness

hi everyone,

Once you have isolated your loudspeakers from the environment , that i believer is a large chunk of the seismic vibration  problem solved,
You need to stop the energy from your speakers going threw the floor and surrounding services back up into your speakers and from entering your rack/ electronics distorting the audio signal, Since i have isolated my speakers with Townsend Seismic Podiums i am now tweaking my system to levels i never new was possible ,
 if you have invested more into your set up than myself then i feel the benefits will be greater,